1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus that is of particular utility in cementing operations associated with oil and gas well exploration and production. More specifically the present invention provides an improvement to cementing operations and related operations employing a plug or ball dropping head.
2. General Background of the Invention
Patents have issued that relate generally to the concept of using a plug, dart or a ball that is dispensed or dropped into the well or “down hole” during oil and gas well drilling and production operations, especially when conducting cementing operations. The following possibly relevant patents are incorporated herein by reference. The patents are listed numerically. The order of such listing does not have any significance.
TABLEPAT.ISSUE DATENO.TITLEMM-DD-YYYY3,828,852Apparatus for Cementing Well Bore08-13-1974Casing4,427,065Cementing Plug Container and Method of01-24-1984Use Thereof4,617,960Verification of a Surface Controlled10-21-1986Subsurface Actuating Device4,624,312Remote Cementing Plug Launching11-25-1986System4,670,875Multiplexed Dual Tone Multi-Frequency06-02-1987Encoding/Decoding System for RemoteControl Applications4,671,353Apparatus for Releasing a Cementing Plug06-09-19874,722,389Well Bore Servicing Arrangement02-02-19884,782,894Cementing Plug Container with Remote11-08-1988Control System4,854,383Manifold Arrangement for use with a Top08-08-1989Drive Power Unit4,995,457Lift-Through Head and Swivel02-26-19915,014,596Remote Control Modification for05-14-1991Manually Controlled Hydraulic Systems5,095,988Plug Injection Method and Apparatus03-17-19925,146,153Wireless Control System09-08-19925,236,035Swivel Cementing Head with Manifold08-17-1993Assembly5,265,271Low Battery Detector11-23-19935,293,933Swivel Cementing Head with Manifold03-15-1994Assembly Having Remove Control Valvesand Plug Release Plungers5,435,390Remote Control for a Plug-Dropping Head07-25-19955,590,713Remote control for well tool01-07-19975,758,726Ball Drop Head With Rotating Rings06-02-19985,833,002Remote Control Plug-Dropping Head11-10-19985,856,790Remote Control for a Plug-Dropping Head01-05-19995,960,881Downhole Surge Pressure Reduction10-05-1999System and Method of Use6,142,226Hydraulic Setting Tool11-07-20006,182,752Multi-Port Cementing Head02-06-20016,390,200Drop Ball Sub and System of Use05-21-20026,575,238Ball and Plug Dropping Head06-10-20036,672,384Plug-Dropping Container for Releasing a01-06-2004Plug Into a Wellbore6,904,970Cementing Manifold Assembly06-14-20057,066,249Cementing Manifold Assembly06-27-20067,607,481Method and apparatus for dropping a10-27-2009pump down plug or ball7,841,410Method and apparatus for dropping a11-30-2010pump down plug or ball7,918,278Method and Apparatus for Dropping A04-05-2011Pump Down Plug or Ball
There is more information about remote control pump down plug or ball dropping in the file histories of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,435,390, 5,590,713, 5,833,002, and 5,856,790, and each of which is currently undergoing Ex Parte Reexamination:
Control No. 90/011,188, filed Aug. 27, 2010 (Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,390);
Control No. 90/011,189, filed Aug. 27, 2010 (Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,713);
Control No. 90/011,190, filed Aug. 27, 2010 (Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,002); and
Control No. 90/011,191, filed Aug. 27, 2010 (Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 5,856,790).